Manage your cookie settings

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit and certain emails that you open. They are widely used in order to make websites operate, function more efficiently, or to provide business and marketing information.

Marketing Functionality

Performance Functionality

Transaction Functionality

Marketing

Performance

Transaction

Cookies processed during your website visit and used for essential features like account sign in & management, transaction tracking, processing & completion, fraud prevention and website stability. Performance and feature enhancement cookies required for testing and deploying new products.
Accepting these cookies is a condition of use of the website.

Cookies used to provide services or to remember settings to improve your visit. For example; remembering the country and language you have selected when you visit Western Union's web pages and are not used for marketing purposes.

Cookies linked to services provided by both Western Union and third parties, such as survey and marketing requests or 'Like' buttons and 'Share' buttons from 3rd parties. For example linking to social network sites like Facebook, who may subsequently use information about your visit.

Cookies that collect information about your website use, for example; the pages you visit, if you experience any errors, and to assist Western Union with troubleshooting problems on the site. These cookies do not collect any personal information all information is anonymous and is only used to help us improve your website experience, understand what your interests are and measure marketing effectiveness

Consumer Protection

As a Western Union Money TransferSM user, we value your business and take pride in delivering your funds to the intended recipient in a fast, convenient and reliable manner. However, there are individuals throughout the world who will attempt to use any system to receive payments in connection with fraudulent sales or solicitations.

Make sure you know who you are sending money to. If you are purchasing goods or services and paying through the Western Union network, it is your responsibility to verify the reputation and legitimacy of the seller. Western Union is not responsible for the non-receipt or quality of any goods or services.

Discontinue a call if a caller instructs you on how to respond to questions asked by Western Union.

Beware of sweepstakes, prize or lottery company representatives who tell you to transfer money to them in order to claim a prize you've won. There are many companies running fraudulent contests that ask you to transfer them money but give you nothing in return.

Beware of unsolicited letters or emails from Nigerian or other foreign government officials requesting assistance in the transfer of excess funds from a foreign country into your bank account.

Beware of telephone calls from the police claiming that someone you know has been in an accident or been arrested and is requesting money.

Beware of unsolicited letters or emails offering an unrealistic price for expensive or rare merchandise.

Make sure you know who you are sending money to. If you are purchasing goods or services and paying through the Western Union network, it is your responsibility to verify the reputation and legitimacy of the seller. Western Union is not responsible for the non-receipt or quality of any goods or services.

2. I received a suspicious email from someone claiming to be Western Union, what should I do?

If you receive an email from a company representing itself as Western Union and you are not sure it was sent by westernunion.com or westernunion.ie, do not click on any links in the email. This may be a "phishing" attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information from you. Instead, immediately contact your local authorities.

Western Union will never send you an email asking for your user ID, password or credit card details.

3. Can the Test Question feature secure my funds or delay payment of a transaction?

The "Test Question" feature in the Western Union Money TransferSM service is designed for emergency situations where the receiver does not have proper identification (e.g. his or her wallet and identification have been stolen). It should never be used as additional security to time or delay the payment of a transaction. In many locations, Western Union will pay the receiver whenever the receiver shows proper identification, even if the receiver does not know the answer to the test question.

4. Does Western Union offer an escrow service or any kind of buyer protection?

Western Union does not offer an escrow service or any type of "purchase protection" policy. Western Union's business is to transfer funds from a sender to a receiver. We warn and recommend people using our services to not send money to people they don't know. It is the sender's responsibility to know the party to which the funds are being sent. Using a fictitious name or changing the Receiver's name after the money transfer has been sent is not a guaranteed means of securing funds. If a receiver presents proper identification with the same name as on the money transfer, payment will be made.

Be wary of third party "pickup" or "holding" services unless they are a reputable, licensed escrow service. Western Union is not an escrow service, should not be used as an escrow service, and is currently not affiliated with any escrow services.

For online auctions, examine seller feedback carefully and know the warning signs associated with fraudulent auction sales. Most online auction sites have safety guidelines or FAQs that can help you identify potentially fraudulent sales. Be wary if the seller is using a free email address or insists on accepting only one form of payment. Report any suspicious activity and file non-delivery of goods complaints with the auction site through which you purchased the item.

Remember that Western Union never acts as a guarantor of an auction buyer or seller's performance.

Western Union employs a variety of techniques, including SSL technology, to keep your personal information safe.

Additionally, the following tips can help keep your password secure:

Make your password difficult to guess. Avoid using any part of your name, your birthday, or any words that can easily be associated with you.

Use a combination of letters and numbers, and a mix of lower case and capital letters.

Use multiple passwords for your various accounts to decrease your risk in the event that one password is compromised.

Avoid writing your password down where it may be compromised.

You can further protect your passwords by making sure that your virus-scanning software is kept up to date, and by running anti-spyware programs. These programs can help protect you from viruses or other malware that could compromise your identity even though your computer may seem to be working fine.

If you use Microsoft Windows, make sure your Windows updates are enabled to help keep your operating system protected. You can learn more about Microsoft Windows updates at http://www.microsoft.com.

Use extra caution when entering your password on a computer that does not belong to you. Viruses, spyware or your browser's settings might be used to compromise your account by recording your username and password.

8. How do I view a site's SSL Certificates to verify the website's identity?

In Microsoft Internet Explorer, you can view the security (SSL) certificate by following these steps:

Right-click your mouse on any secure page within the site (any page beginning with "HTTPS://" with the small lock symbol displayed in the lower righthand corner).

Click "Properties" from the menu.

Click on the "Certificates" button to view the site's SSL certificate(s).

In Mozilla Firefox, you can view the security (SSL) certificate by following these steps:

On any secure page within a site (those pages beginning with "HTTPS://" with the small lock symbol displayed in the lower righthand corner), go to the "Tools" menu at the top of the browser window and select, "Page Info".

In the dialogue box that appears, select the "Security" tab.

On the Security tab, click on the "View" button to view the security certificate.

The Western Union Online Service is offered by Western Union International Bank GmbH in conjunction with Western Union International Limited. Western Union International Bank GmbH, trading as Western Union International Bank is licensed by the Financial Markets Authority (Österreichische Finanzmarktaufsicht) in Austria.